Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has announced a significant fundraising milestone, having raised $540 million for the upcoming presidential election against Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. The campaign’s fundraising momentum surged following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his campaign on July 21 and his subsequent endorsement of Harris.
The announcement of the impressive fundraising total comes after a successful week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, accepted their nominations. According to campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign crossed the $500 million mark just before Harris’ acceptance speech on Thursday night, with the best fundraising hour since the campaign’s launch occurring immediately afterward.
While former President Trump has also demonstrated strong fundraising capabilities, raising $138.7 million in July, Harris’ campaign appears to be outpacing him significantly. At the start of August, Trump’s campaign reported having $327 million in cash on hand, whereas Harris’ campaign has raised its funds through various entities, including Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and joint fundraising committees.
The Harris campaign’s strategy has also successfully attracted new contributors, with nearly a third of the donations during the convention week coming from first-time contributors. Notably, about one-fifth of these new contributors were young voters, and two-thirds were women—key demographic groups that the Harris campaign views as essential for securing victory in the November election.
In addition to financial support, the Harris campaign has seen a significant increase in volunteer engagement. During the convention week alone, nearly 200,000 volunteer shifts were signed up for by supporters eager to contribute to the campaign’s efforts.
